Wheels and deals

Published:07:00Sunday 19 October 2014

Despite recently launching a compact SUV, Porsche hasn’t forgotten its sports car roots. The German car maker has added a new GTS version to its 911 model line-up.

Available in both coupe and convertible bodystyles plus rear and four-wheel drive, the 911 Carrera GTS boasts an uprated version of the 3.8-litre engine found in the regular Carrera S and a host of GTS specific standard kit.

Packing 430 horsepower — 30 more than the regular S models — the GTS shaves a few tenths off the zero to 62mph sprint when combined with Porsche’s dual clutch gearbox, while the quoted top speed with the standard fit seven-speed gearbox is now 198mph.

Inside, the driver and front passenger sit in an exclusive Alcantara interior with leather-trimmed sport seats.

Available to order now, first deliveries are expected in November with prices from £91,098 for the rear-wheel drive coupe to £104,385 for the all-wheel drive convertible.

Hybrid cars now make up almost a quarter of Toyota’s sales in the UK, the firm has announced.

Thanks to huge increases in sales figures for the British-build Auris Hybrid and good results for the new Aygo and low-CO2 RAV4, Toyota GB is up 4.5% versus last year. In total, 22.5% of those sales were petrol-electric hybrids.

The Auris Hybrid has sold 20.6% more units than at this point in 2013, and its popularity has grown to include almost half of all Auris sales in the UK.

Meanwhile, the Aygo has made an “immediate impact” according to Toyota, selling almost 20% better than the old model.

The RAV4, which in recent years has been reduced to very small volumes in the face of stronger competition from the likes of Nissan and Volkswagen, has seen an 80% boost in fleet sales thanks to a lower-CO2 diesel option.

Hybrid power is also proving popular in the supermini Yaris. A quarter of those bought in the UK are equipped with the proven and self-recharging full hybrid system pioneered in the late 1990s by the Prius.

The Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 was the best car to invest in over the last decade, says new research from the Discovery Channel.

Marking the 100th car to feature on the digital TV channel’s Wheeler Dealers show, in an episode earlier this week, the Wheeler Dealers team picked out 20 of the best-known and most sought-after classic cars.

And, in 2004, the wisest owls of all would have put their money into the old Porsche, which has seen a stratospheric increase in prices from £65,000 to £500,000 - a 669% explosion.

The Aston Martin DB5 and DB6, famously associated with James Bond, were second and third on the list, having seen 500% and 478% increases respectively and leaving their canny owners laughing all the way to the bank.

Other wise automotive investments were genuine AC Cobras, which have increased from £150,000 to £650,000 on the open market, while Ferrari, Lotus and Jaguar all had cars in the top 10.

The biggest surprise was the Land Rover Series I, the original that spawned a breed that continues to this day - although emissions regulations are set to kill off the Defender for good. Series I owners have seen prices go from £6,000 in 2004 to £20,000 now, making it the best mass-produced investment in the study.

Only one of the 20 classic cars lost value over the decade. The Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow fell from £12,000 to £8,000.

Wheeler Dealers sees presenters Mike Brewer and Edd China buy classic cars at the right price, fix them up on a budget and sell them on for a profit. Classic car expert Dave Selby helped Discovery to compile the figures.

A Discovery Channel spokesperson said: “From the much coveted Aston Martin DB5 to the humble Fiat 500, classic car owners across the UK are sitting on a small fortune, thanks to the boom in the vintage car market over the last decade.”

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